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Uttank and Krishn
This story comes in MBH, G-7-postwar/19 (Ashwamedh Parv), when Krishn was going back to Dwaarakaa from Hastinaapur after the war, He met Rishi Uttank in a desert. Uttank asked the welfare of Kaurav and Paandav and expressed that He could have been successful in settling friendship between them. But Krishn told that although He tried his best to settle compromise among them but the Time was bad for Kaurav and all died in the war along with their relations and kinsmen. Only five Paandav remained alive. Hearing this Uttank got very angry, he said - "Even though you were able to stop this war, you did not stop it and let them be killed; that is why I give you Shaap." Krishn said - "First you listen to me then you decide what to do, because I do not want that your Tap goes waste." Then He preached him Adhyaatm Gyaan. Uttank wanted to see His Vishwa Roop, so Krishn showed him His Vishwa Roop too. Then only Uttank became satisfied. Krishn asked him to ask for a Var. He told since he had seen Him in person, that was enough for him for that time. But Krishn insisted that His Darshan cannot be without fruit so he will have ask something from Him. Since he was living in desert, he said - "Let me finish whatever for I have come here, and whenever I feel thirsty in this desert I get water to drink." Krishn said, "Let it be so. Whenever you feel thirsty, you just remember me." and went away to Dwaarakaa.

Now it so happened that one day Uttank felt so thirsty that he remembered Krishn for water. Immediately he saw a hunter coming towards him naked with a herd of dogs. He had his bow and arrows also. As he came near, Uttank saw a thick stream of water coming out of his urinary organ. The hunter said "Drink". But Uttank could not drink it. He was hesitant to drink it like that. The hunter repeatedly said to him to drink that water but Uttank could not drink it. The hunter disappeared. Since he was still thirsty, he again remembered Krishn.

Krishn appeared before him and said, "I sent you water but you didn't drink it." Uttank was very angry at this, he said - "It was not proper for you to give water in the form of a hunter's urine to a Braahman like me." Krishn said - "When you remembered me, I asked Indra to give you Amrit (Nectar), but he said, "A mortal man can not be made immortal, so this Amrit should not be given to him. let him be given some other boon." When I insisted then only he got ready to give you Amrit assuming the form of a hunter. Then he said , "I will give him Amrit, but if he didn't drink it I will not give it to him." So he came in the form of a hunter to give you Amrit and even after his repeatedly saying you did not drink it. You did not do good. Although your fault is very great but still I will do whatever I can do for you. Whenever you will be thirsty in future, the clouds will rain savory water for you. They will be known as Uttank clouds." Uttank got satisfied with that. So till today Uttank clouds make rains in desert.

Uttank's Dakshinaa to Gautam
From   MBH, G-7-Postwar/19
This story is similar to the story given in Ashwamedh Parv given on Next Page except that in that story the Guru's name is given as Gautam and his wife's name as Ahalyaa. It is a bit confusing

Now what was Uttank's Tapasyaa so that he could curse even Bhagavaan? He was the disciple of Maharshi Gautam. He was so much devoted to his Guru that Rishi did not allow him to go. he never worshipped anyone else. One day Uttank was bringing fuel wood, he was so tired and hungry that he threw the logs on the ground, sat on the ground and started weeping. Seeing him weeping Gautam's daughter asked her father if she could take his tears in her hand. As she took them in her hands, her hands started burning, so she threw them on the ground. Even the earth could not hold them.

Gautam asked him - "Why are you so sad today, tell me the truth." Uttank said - "I have served you for a very long time. many disciples came and went away. I did not know that I became so old here serving you." Gautam realized his feelings and said to him - "You were so good to me that I also did not realize that you have been here for so long. But now if you wish, you may go." He asked his Guru to ask for Guru Dakshinaa. His Guru told him that he did not want anything as he was very happy with him, but if he had been a 16 year old boy, he could have married his daughter to him because no other woman could bear his energy. At this Uttank became a 16 year old boy, Gautam married his daughter to him and both went from there.

After this Uttank asked his Guru Maa - "Maa, My education is finished, I will be going now, please, tell me if you need anything before I leave this place," Guru Maa said - "Son, I have long wished to have that King Saudaas' wife's earrings, if you can bring them for me. I wish to wear them on the fourth day from today." "Sure, Maa." and he proceeded to see King Saudaas who had become cannibal by that time because of Vashishth's Shaap - read full story under "Vashishth's Shaap to Saudaas"

When Gautam Rishi did not see Uttank for some time, he asked Ahalyaa about him. She told him that she had sent him to bring Saudaas' wife's earrings. Gautam Rishi said - "You have not done good to him. Saudaas is cursed by Vashishth Jee to be a man-eater, he will surely eat him as he will see him." Ahalyaa said - "I did not know this. I hope that he will not fall in any danger because of your grace." Uttank came to Saudaas and met him in a forest. As it was the time for his food, he wanted to eat Uttank, but Uttank requested him not to eat him at that time as he was on the duty of his Guru. He could eat him when he had finished his work

He told him that he wanted his Queen's earrings for his Guru Maa to give her as his Guru Dakshinaa. In those days people did not refuse to a disciple for anything if he wanted it to give it to his Guru as Guru Dakshinaa, so the King also did not refuse for it. He sent him to the Queen and ask for them from her, assuring him that she would surely give them to him. When he reached the Queen's palace and asked her for her earrings, she said - "You say that you don't tell lies, still you should have brought some token from my husband as your identification. Even Devtaa, Raakshas, Yaksh etc watch my celestial ear-rings. If I keep them on ground, they will be taken away by Naag. If worn by an impure person in consequence by eating unclean food, they will be taken away by Yaksh. If the wearer falls asleep without taking care of them, they will be taken away by Devtaa. Thus they are very prone to stealing. They always produce gold, day and night. At night they shine brightly attracting the light of stars and constellations. Their wearer will be free from hunger, thirst and fear of all kinds - fire, poison etc. If they are worn by a short stature person they become small, and if worn by a large person they will become large. They are very well-known in Tri-Lok. Please, will you bring me any token from my husband?" Uttank immediately came back to Saudaas, so Saudaas gave him a sign "My present condition is intolerable, I do not behold any refuge, so knowing it my wish give your ear-rings." Uttank again went back to the queen and gave his message to her. The queen gave her ear-rings to him and again warned him for their stealing.

Taking the queen's earrings Uttank came to the King, told him that he had got the earrings and set off to his Guru's Aashram. The King reminded his promise to come back to him as his food.

On the way he saw a Bilva fruit tree. Uttank was very hungry so he kept the earrings in a deer skin and hanged it on the tree and started to pluck some Bilva fruits. Some fruits fell on the deer skin, and because of their weight the knot of the deer skin untied and both the deer skin and the earrings fell on the ground. A snake, descendent of Airaavat, was watching this. He promptly took the ear-rings in his mouth and entered in an anthill. Seeing the snake taking ear-rings, Uttank got filled with rage, he came down of the tree and started digging the anthill. He dug it for 35 days, but was not successful.

Then Indra put his Vajra's power in his digging tool and Uttank came to the regions of Naag. It was thousands of Yojan long and wide. he lost the hope of getting earrings, Then there appeared a black horse with white tail. He said to Uttank - "You blow in my Apaan duct of my body. You will get your ear-rings back. Do not dislike my bidding as you did at Gautam's Aashram." Uttank asked - "How did I know you? I want to know what did I do with you before?" The horse said - "I am the Guru of your Guru, I am Jaatved (Agni). You often worshipped me for your Guru, that is why I want to help you. Do immediately as I have said to you." Uttank did as he said to him. A fire came out of the horse's pores to blaze the world of Naag and nothing could be seen around. Naag came out of their palaces to see as what was happening. After knowing that what the matter was, they worshipped Uttank, offered him Arghya and gave the ear-rings back to him. Uttank circumambulated Agni Dev and came back quickly to Gautam's Aashram and gave those ear-rings to Ahalyaa. He told Gautam about the Naag incident also.

This was his penance that he could even curse the Creator.

On one side Uttank was happy that he drank Amrit, but on the other side he was very angry with Takshak. In this anger he made a plan to kill all the Naag. He went the King Janamejaya (King Pareekshit's son) and said - "You have been doing some unnecessary jobs but have forgotten the most important job." Janamejaya said surprisingly - "What Muni?" Uttank said - "You know that your father died by Takshak's bite. Even he stopped Kashyap (the Vaidya) who was going to save your father when he was on his way to reach to him to bite him. Why don't you kill Takshak?" King Janamejaya understood and he ordered for Sarp Yagya.

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